A recent study conducted by researchers at Penn State suggests that adding a little spice to your meals could be an effective strategy for cutting back on calories. The study focused on how increasing the “oral burn” or spicy taste from ingredients like chili pepper can impact food consumption during a meal. The findings, published in the journal Food Quality and Preference, indicate that making a meal slightly spicier led participants to eat less, ultimately consuming fewer calories.
The lead author of the study, Paige Cunningham, explained that previous research has shown that slowing down while eating can significantly reduce food intake. The researchers hypothesized that adding a small amount of spice to a meal could slow down eating and result in consuming fewer calories. The study found that increasing spiciness slightly using dried chili pepper did indeed slow down eating and reduce the amount of food and energy consumed, without negatively affecting the taste of the dish.
John Hayes, a professor of food science at Penn State and corresponding author of the study, stated that adding chilies as a potential strategy for reducing the risk of overeating. The study involved 130 adults who were served either a mild or spicy version of beef chili or chicken tikka masala. The spiciness level was carefully controlled by varying the ratio of hot versus sweet paprika added to the dishes.
The researchers monitored participants’ eating behaviors using high-definition video recordings during the meals. They found that participants ate the spicier meals more slowly, leading to a reduction in food and energy intake. The study suggests that changes in oral processing behaviors, such as eating more slowly, can help signal fullness and lead to eating less.
Importantly, the reduction in food intake occurred without affecting how much participants liked the food. Water intake did not differ significantly between the spicy and mild meals, indicating that increased water consumption was not the primary reason for eating less. The researchers are now focusing on understanding how oral burn from spicy foods can impact other eating behaviors, such as snacking.
Overall, the study highlights the potential benefits of adding spice to meals as a way to reduce calorie intake without sacrificing taste. Further research is needed to explore the long-term effects of incorporating spicy foods into the diet. This study was a collaborative effort that also involved undergraduate researchers from Penn State, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary research in the field of nutrition and food science.
